Fleay, Rymer share Mitchell Medal

Tuesday, 03 September 2013

Article sourced from the Kalgoorlie Miner

Mines Rovers player-coach Dion Fleay and Railways star Josh Rymer shared a major slice of Goldfields Football League history in dramatic fashion last night when they tied for the prestigious Mitchell Medal.

The pair were level on 26 votes after round 15, but Rymer went ahead after earning four votes in the Panthers’ round 16 clash with the blue and whites.

Fleay managed just one vote in that match, but was judged best afield in the Diorites’ round 17 clash with Kambalda.

More drama followed, with Rymer earning four votes in the last qualifying fixture against Boulder which enabled him to draw level, on 34 votes, with Fleay who had also polled in round 18.

It marked the first medal tie since Railways’ Darren Mason and Mines Rovers’ Justin Zecca shared the award in 2000. The only other occasion the vote count has ended in a tie was in 1972 when the late Kambalda champion Peter Ding and Railways’ Neville Brierley could not be separated on a countback. Kambalda’s Dylan Titchener (29 votes) and Kalgoorlie’s Gerard Brown (28) rounded out the top four from Kambalda team-mates Guy Smith (23) and Nathan Gemmill (22).

It was a triumphant first season in the GFL for Fleay, who joined Mines Rovers after a decorated WAFL career with West Perth which included State selection last year. For Rymer, medal success was a fitting reward after a typically consistent campaign was instrumental in Railways grabbing the minor premiership. Also last night, Boulder’s Chayne George was the recipient of the GFL Footballer of the Year Award, which carried a framed caricature, courtesy of the Kalgoorlie Miner.

Kalgoorlie’s Jake Allen polled 36 votes to win the colts fairest and best award while Mines Rovers’ Matt James led the reserves count with 28 votes.